Obamacare foe Marco Rubio insured under Affordable Care Act

[GMDino]

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/obamacare-foe-marco-rubio-insured-under-affordable-care-act

Quote:Florida Sen. Marco Rubio boasts of being the only Republican presidential candidate to have dealt a blow to Obamacare – but he’s also insured under the law.

Rubio’s campaign confirmed to NBC News that the GOP presidential candidate and his family remain insured under the law, through the D.C. exchange. He first signed up in 2013, at which point spokeswoman Brooke Sammon told the Tampa Bay Times that Rubio “spent time looking at all the options and decided to enroll through the D.C. exchange for coverage for him and his family.”

He’s not alone — Sen. Rand Paul signed up for health insurance under the law in 2013, as did all of congressional leadership at the time. Sen. Ted Cruz received insurance at the time from his wife’s employer, Goldman Sachs, and now has private insurance.

But Rubio’s decision to accept a federal subsidy offered to congressional lawmakers and their staff could complicate his declaration on the trail that he’s successfully undermined the law. Rubio frequently touts his efforts to eliminate what he calls a taxpayer-funded “bailout” included in Obamacare, a fund set up in the health care law to help offset losses experienced by insurers as they took on new patients and help keep premiums down.

The Florida senator, however, benefits from a taxpayer-funded subsidy offered only to members of Congress and their staff valued at $10,000, far greater than the subsidies offered to most Americans who purchase insurance on the exchanges. The subsidy was established after Congress passed a law requiring its members to be insured under Obamacare, a move that effectively eliminated the employer contribution they received prior to joining the exchanges. The $10,000 subsidy merely re-establishes that employer contribution.

Still, the decision by some Republicans to accept the subsidy while railing against the law drew criticism, and other GOP lawmakers, like Sen. Lindsey Graham, another GOP presidential contender, signed up for Obamacare but denied the subsidy.

Indeed, some Republican lawmakers have been pushing since 2013 to eliminate the subsidy, criticizing it, as Graham did in 2013, as a “special deal” for lawmakers. It could prove a particular sticking point for Rubio as his feud with Cruz heats up, as Cruz planned to file an amendment to a must-pass spending bill to eliminate the subsidy as recently as July of this year.

A Rubio spokesman confirmed the senator is still accepting the subsidy. In 2013, Rubio defended the move, telling the Miami Herald that “it’s an [employer] contribution.”

“It’s available to every employee of the federal government,” he said at the time.

[StLucieBengal]

So he is following the law?

Wasn't Reid and Boehnet making deals for the additional subsidies for congress? That's a progressive problem. And even though I think Rubio is a progressive pretending to be a tea party guy. He is only following the law .

He did vote to repeal it I believe.

[JustWinBaby]

So when Warren Buffet takes advantage of every tax loophole and deduction under the sun, he's a left-wing hero for wanting to pay more taxes (while not actually paying more)....but Rubio is a hypocrite for doing basically the same thing.

It's one thing to have principles, it's another to be a sucker walking away from free money (especially when you don't have Warren Buffet's money).

[Aquapod770]

A big complaint with the ACA was that Congress was exempting themselves. I don't really see how Rubio choosing to be insured by it is a bad thing.

[JustWinBaby]

(12-12-2015, 01:28 AM)Aquapod770 Wrote: A big complaint with the ACA was that Congress was exempting themselves. I don't really see how Rubio choosing to be insured by it is a bad thing.

He could have refused the subsidy, like Cruz.  Of course it's already been documented that Rubio couldn't afford to leave $10k on the table.

[Benton]

(12-11-2015, 09:40 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: So he is following the law?

Wasn't Reid and Boehnet making deals for the additional subsidies for congress?  That's a progressive problem.    And even though I think Rubio is a progressive pretending to be a tea party guy.   He is only following the law .

He did vote to repeal it I believe.

I think the issue is more that he's taking advantage of a federal subsidy (i.e., he's getting it cheaper than normal citizens) while complaining about the system, a opposed to doing what he's advocating (everyone getting their own insurance on the free market).

[StLucieBengal]

(12-12-2015, 02:16 AM)Benton Wrote: I think the issue is more that he's taking advantage of a federal subsidy (i.e., he's getting it cheaper than normal citizens) while complaining about the system, a opposed to doing what he's advocating (everyone getting their own insurance on the free market).

I understand why people are bringing it up. I just don't see the point. If I were him I would sign up as well and mock it constantly while showing everyone how ridiculous it was and why it needs taken away. There should be zero subsidies for everyone.

Off topic rant: If the gov is worried about health care then open up free clinics ran by the government. Let people feel the hassle that is gov medicine . They will be paying for private as soon as possible . No more Medicaid.... Just free clinics.

[Yojimbo]

(12-12-2015, 04:38 AM)StLucieBengal Wrote: I understand why people are bringing it up.  I just don't see the point.   If I were him I would sign up as well and mock it constantly while showing everyone how ridiculous it was and why it needs taken away.  There should be zero subsidies for everyone.  

Off topic rant:  If the gov is worried about health care then open up free clinics ran by the government.  Let people feel the hassle that is gov medicine .  They will be paying for private as soon as possible .  No more Medicaid.... Just free clinics.

The health insurance lobby would never let that loss of profits happen.

[Belsnickel]

(12-12-2015, 08:59 AM)Yojimbo Wrote: The health insurance lobby would never let that loss of profits happen.

Indeed, and since the insurance industry spends most of its money on the right, we won't see that happen for sure.

[JustWinBaby]

(12-12-2015, 09:31 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Indeed, and since the insurance industry spends most of its money on the right

Really?  So that's how Obamacare passed with huge subsidies to the insurance companies without a single Republican vote?  I love magic - it's neat.

[Benton]

(12-12-2015, 04:38 AM)StLucieBengal Wrote: I understand why people are bringing it up.  I just don't see the point.   If I were him I would sign up as well and mock it constantly while showing everyone how ridiculous it was and why it needs taken away.  There should be zero subsidies for everyone.  

 

If you disagree with something someone else is doing, you shouldn't do it and complain about them doing it.

If you smoke in a restaurant, it's silly to complain about the guy at the next table smoking. If you are on foot stamps, it's silly to complain about bums on food stamps. If you're benefiting from a healthcare exchange (and getting it cheaper than most), its silly to complain about those taking part in the exchange.

Rubio. Captain Silly.

[Belsnickel]

(12-12-2015, 02:52 PM)JustWinBaby Wrote: Really?  So that's how Obamacare passed with huge subsidies to the insurance companies without a single Republican vote?  I love magic - it's neat.

I can't help the facts. The right may not have voted for the ACA for a number of reasons, but they aren't going to do something the insurance industry hates.

[Rotobeast]

(12-12-2015, 05:34 PM)Benton Wrote: If you disagree with something someone else is doing, you shouldn't do it and complain about them doing it.

If you smoke in a restaurant, it's silly to complain about the guy at the next table smoking. If you are on foot stamps, it's silly to complain about bums on food stamps. If you're benefiting from a healthcare exchange (and getting it cheaper than most), its silly to complain about those taking part in the exchange.

Rubio. Captain Silly.

[JustWinBaby]

(12-12-2015, 06:16 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: I can't help the facts. The right may not have voted for the ACA for a number of reasons, but they aren't going to do something the insurance industry hates.

No, you can't help the facts but apparently you can refuse to believe them. Like I said, massive susbsidies and guarantees for the insurance companies didn't magically come out of thin air without a single Repub vote.

[Yojimbo]

(12-12-2015, 09:02 PM)JustWinBaby Wrote: No, you can't help the facts but apparently you can refuse to believe them.  Like I said, massive susbsidies and guarantees for the insurance companies didn't magically come out of thin air without a single Repub vote.

There are plenty of politicians on the left and the right that take massive amounts of money from the insurance lobby. One of the reason the Dems folded on the "public option" the first chance they got. The problem with OUR government isn't a conservative or liberal issue, it's a money issue.

[StLucieBengal]

(12-12-2015, 05:34 PM)Benton Wrote: If you disagree with something someone else is doing, you shouldn't do it and complain about them doing it.

If you smoke in a restaurant, it's silly to complain about the guy at the next table smoking. If you are on foot stamps, it's silly to complain about bums on food stamps. If you're benefiting from a healthcare exchange (and getting it cheaper than most), its silly to complain about those taking part in the exchange.

Rubio. Captain Silly.

Oh I am no Rubio fan at all. I just don't see the big deal. Arguing over this instead of the actual problem. Obamacare

[GMDino]

(12-12-2015, 11:54 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: Oh I am no Rubio fan at all.  I just don't see the big deal.  Arguing over this instead of the actual problem.   Obamacare

Probably because if it is such a problem why was it the best solution for him after looking everywhere.

[Benton]

(12-12-2015, 11:54 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: Oh I am no Rubio fan at all.  I just don't see the big deal.  Arguing over this instead of the actual problem.   Obamacare

hah, the problem is he's running for president, namely on the platform of dismantling what he's benefiting from.

that would be like Mitch McConnell running on a procoal platform but benefiting from taking part in efforts to get rid of coal in the next 20 years... Oh. Oops.

[StLucieBengal]

(12-14-2015, 12:44 AM)Benton Wrote: hah, the problem is he's running for president, namely on the platform of dismantling what he's benefiting from.

that would be like Mitch McConnell running on a procoal platform but benefiting from taking part in efforts to get rid of coal in the next 20 years... Oh. Oops.

In that case should all these candidates pushing for a flat tax be slammed for taking the tax breaks for home mortgage or children?

You know I really grrr the fact I have to defend the progressive Rubio.

[GMDino]

(12-14-2015, 04:00 AM)StLucieBengal Wrote: In that case should all these candidates pushing for a flat tax be slammed for taking the tax breaks for home mortgage or children?

You know I really grrr the fact I have to defend the progressive Rubio.

You don't HAVE to.  You WANT to.

You COULD say he's a hypocrite...but you don't.